Seattle Times - July, 2014"The green metal structures are equipped with bunk beds and sleeping bags for five to eight people, depending on the hut. In the summer, if you have a small group, you may share a hut with another party. During the winter when you reserve a hut it is yours for the night. For summer visitors, a rudimentary kitchen is stocked with supplies including food, water and a propane stove."

The Surveyors Package can accommodate all types of riders and challenges. This can be a family-friendly ride with limited climbing and rides of less than 12 miles per day. Or, it can be an exhilarating and exhausting exploration of singletrack riding – and with the huts being fairly close together you can drop off gear at the hut with plenty of time and energy to ride the trails without carrying all of your supplies.

We provide a few different options depending on whether you are looking for easy touring or challenging singletrack. You can also purchase one of the maps we recommend and chart your own route through this beautiful area that has stunning views of Mt. Hood, the Hood River Valley, and the National Forest.

For those looking for a technical ride, some of the best singletrack trails in the Pacific Northwest can be incorporated into the route. Singletrack trails in the area include Surveyors Ridge, Dog River, Eightmile, Fifteenmile, Knebal Springs, and Cook’s Meadow.

The charts below list the distances and elevation changes for different starting points. Note that there are several different places from which you could choose to ride, but these are two of the most popular.

Starting at the Surveyors Ridge Trailhead South parking area is best for families who want shorter days and less climbing or for those who simply want to focus on the singletrack. This parking area is at over 4,000 feet in elevation so any of the climbing from starting in the Hood River Valley has been eliminated.

Starting in the town of Parkdale is best for those looking for more of a touring ride. There are different routes you can take coming and going to make a loop out of the ride. Also, for riders with some technical skills that want to experience a fantastic downhill singletrack ride, you will have the option of riding the Dog River Trail to end Day 3. The Dog River Trail drops 2,000 vertical feet and ends just a couple of miles from the town of Parkdale.

Surveyors Package via Parkdale (shortest routes via roads)

Route

Distance

Ascent

Descent

Elevation

Day 1

Parkdale to Dog River Hut

23 miles

3,200’

1,200’

1,700’ to 3,700’

Day 2

Dog River Hut to Fivemile Hut

11 miles

1,000’

1,300’

3,700’ to 3,400’

Day 3

Fivemile Hut to Parkdale

26 miles

1,700’

3,400’

3,400’ to 1,700’

Totals

60 miles

5,900’

5,900’

3-Day Package - $265/person

3-day, 2-night tour in the Surveyors Ridge area of the Mt Hood National Forest